Mechanical pencil with both step-by-step and gravity feeds



DeC- 27, i949 J. T. BRUBAKER v 2,492,839

MECHANICAL RENCIL WITH BOTH STEP'BYSTEP AND GRAVITY FEEDS Filed May 8, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fla?. Flai. Fle.

INVENTOR, JOHN T BRUBAKER/ TTORNEY Dec.' 27, 1949- J. T. BRUBAKER 2,492,839

MECHANIGLff-ENCIL WITH BOTH STEP-,BYSTEP Aun GRAVITY FEEDS Fild May 8. i946 3ll Sheets-Shedl 2 l l l g l 4 f l I l 7 dj/J/A 48' /7/45 48 5v5/"f V52: 5

52| 47 lg@ 4i 47 so i I Flag. F'. Gl INVENTOR,

JOHN T. BRUBAKER,

ATTORNEY.

...L T. BRUBAKER n 2,492,839

MECHANLCA'L-PENCIL WITH BOTH STEP-BY-STEP AND GRAVITY FEEDS Dec. 27', 1949 Filed May 8, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 NVENTOR,

ATTORNEY,

Patented Dec. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANICAL PENCIL WITH Born sTEP- BY-s'IEP AND GRAVITY FEEDS J'ohn T. Brubaker, Luray, Va.

Application May 8, 1946, Serial No. 668,106

(Cl. 1Z0-9) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a pencil wherein the lead or marker is held, manipulated and fed in such manner as to overcome the present liability to breakage and with greater assurance of positive feeding.

A second object is to provide a construction wherein the lead or marker may be fed by a step-by-step movement or by gravity.

An object is to so construct the pencil that the operating parts may be readily applied to and removed from the barrel, being made in one or two units preferably insertable and removable from the top of the barrel and the latter, if desired, being sectional to facilitate such insertion and removal.

Various additional objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrative opera tive embodiments by way of example.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view through one form of the pencil constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken approximately centrally and looking towards the left in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken approximately centrally and looking towards the right in Figure A1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane 6 6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one form of lead gripper;

Figure 8 is a central longitudnal sectional View taken through a modified form of pencil;

Figure 9 is an approximately central longitudinal sectional view looking towards the right in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on vthe line IU-III of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view through a modied form of lead magazine;

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view through a further modifled form of lead magazine;

Figure 13 is a central longitudinal sectional View through another modified form of pencil;

Figure 14 is an approximately central longitudinal sectional View looking toward the left in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is an approximately central longi 2 tudinally sectional view taken through a final form of pencil; and

Figure 16 is a cross-sectional detail taken on the line Iii-I6 of Fig. 15.

Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like reference characters ydesignate like or similar parts throughout the different views, 'III designates a barrel or casing preferably tapered as at I I toward the writing end, and which barrel is prefer-ably made sectional as by having a cap I2 at its upper end detachably screw-threaded or otherwise secured as at I3 to the barrel proper, this Iseparable feature enabling the interior part or parts to be readily positioned, inspected o1' removed.

Disposed centrally and longitudinally of the barrel IU as by detachably screwing it into the lower end of the pencil by screw-threads I4 or any equivalent, is a tube I5 to operatively posi- 'tion the lead.

Within the barrel I0 is a magazine I6 which may be cylindrical of any desired shape in crosssection, shown of a size and shape to best accommodate two leads or markers I1, although it may be constructed of a size and shape to contain any desired number. The magazine I6 has a head or base wall I8 provided with a hub I9 into which the lead tube I5 extends, such magazine being a plunger and slidable within the barrel I 0 and on said lead tube I5. Leads are supplied to the magazine I6 through an upper end which is normally closed by a head 20 de* tachably telescoped into the magazine, and which has an outwardly extending flange 2l over lapped by the inwardly extending flange 22 of 'the barrel cap I2. A head 2! preferably carries a rubber or other eraser 213. l

Any suitable abutment means is provided on the interior of barrel II] at 24 or on the tube I5 and an expansive coil-spring 24| rests thereon and bears against the base I8, thus urging and normally maintaining the flanges 2I and 22 in contact.

The head 20 carries a lead-conning and positioning spring 25 tensioned so as to normally occupy the position shown in Fig. 1 wherein its lower end is disaligned with the bore of the feed tube I5, thus conning a lead as shown, out of alignment with the bore tube and supported on the base I8. However, when a lead is to be 'fed to the tube i5, the spring 25 is displaced across the bore of the feed tube I5 by sliding a plunger or the equivalent 26 inwardly, such plunger be- .ing slidably mounted by a plug 21 detachably screwed or otherwise secured to the barrel l0 3 and having a movement relatively thereto limited by an exterior button 28 and interior stop 29.

The lead in tube I is frictionally held in place by the engagement of a gripper 30 therewith, the gripper being carried by the tube I5, for instance secured to an enlargement 3l thereon, and extending through a slot 32 in the side of the feed tube.

Attention is also directed to the fact that in addition to the lead gripped by the gripper 30, it is gripped or engaged by another gripper 33 depending from the hub I9 and having a gripper portion 34 extending through an elongated slot 35 in the feed tube.l Said grippers 30 and 34 preferably are all V-shaped at their gripping portions as in Fig. '7, so as to provide a plurality of points 36 to engage the lead at spaced locations, better friction thereby being secured and danger of relative slippage of the lead and grippers overcome. Gripper 33 is adapted to be moved to lead releasing position through the engagement of an extension 3'I thereon with a cam on the enlargement 3 I In operating the pencil described, while the lead in the feed tube is held by the gripper 3D, hub 2U may be depressed by means of short strokes in order that the gripper 34 will engage the lead and feed it against the frictional contact of gripper 33 therewith, a number of short strokes being used, if desired. If the lead is to be released from the feed tube, as in the case of a short used lead, so as to fall by gravity from the feed tube, a longer depression or stroke is imparted to the head 25 in which extension 31 engages the cam surface 38, thereby releasing the lead, after which a rod 46 carried by the hub I9 and extending slidably through the enlargement 3|, engages the inclined part 4I of 'gripper 3D, thereby deecting the same and disengaging the lead, the lead thus being released by both grippers 35 and 34 and being free to slide by gravity from the feed tube.

Attention is called to the fact that the feed tube and leads are of such length that with the grippers 30 and 34 retracted as just described and the pencil inverted, a lead will fall by gravity from the feed tube entirely into the magazine I6, following which the plunger 25 may be operated to displace the partition 25, and upon again positioning the pencil with the pointed end lowermost, and the pencil shaken or tilted somewhat, another lead is aligned with the feed tube and permitted to slide into the same into operative position where it will be engaged by the grippers 3U and 34, if desired, the pointed end of the pencil being held relatively close to a support to prevent any danger of the lead completely sliding outof the feed tube before engagement by the grippers 4I and 34.

The operation mentioned is particularly advantageous where two leads are employed of diierent colors or shades. This action is further facilitated by having the magazine relatively flat in cross-section, and for instance rectangular as best shown in Fig. 4 since the leads will be bound to move readily, and when the position or location of one lead is known, to make a change to the other lead or color simply requires rotation of the pencil 180 accompanied by operation of the grippers, tilting, inversion and the like to properly position the lead. This same result may be attained where the magazine is not truly rectangular in cross-section, for instance the magazine as shown in Fig. 1l, may have its main walls 42 arcuate and concentric. Again the same 4 result may be attained where the magazine as in Fig. l2 is of 8-shape in cross-section providing the charge chambers 43 and the constricted passage 44, which assists in straightening and positioning the lead when aligned with the feed tube.

The grippers 3D and 34 need not be of the specific construction and mounting shown since they may be secured to any desired parts and positioned as preferred. It will also be noted that practically all of the parts may be removed as a unit from the barrel upon detaching the cap I2 and unscrewing the tube from the barrel at I4. Also the various parts may primarily be made of metal, although they may be constructed of any of the plastics or otherwise, or of a combination of metal and plastic. Where plastic material is used, desired parts can be transparent so that the interior action and position of the leads in particular may be observed from the exterior.

If desired, spring 24I may be dispensed with and the pencil operated by shaking the same, resulting in successive impacts of the sliding magazine body I6 with the barrel, the impacts being controlled so that grippers 34 and 3U operate on the lead as previously described.

As to the modified form of Figs. 8 and 9, the barrel is designated 45 having a detachable pointed or tapered lower end 46 telescoped or otherwise secured at 4l to the barrel. A lead feed tube 48 is detachably screw-threaded or secured at 49 to the part 46 so as to slidably receive and hold the lead 55. Lead tube 48 is removable and at the upper end carries a disk or head 48I. The lead tube has a slot 5I in its side through which a gripper 52 extends into engagement with lthe lead 50, which gripper is carried in any suitable way by the feed tube 48 or any other part as by an enlargement at 52. The gripper in this form of the invention may be disengaged by the gripper 52 by sliding a rod 53 inwardly, such rod being accommodated in an opening 54 of the barrel and having a bifurcated part 55 extended around the feed tube and soldered or otherwise connected to the gripper 52, thus causing the gripper to release the lead.

The lead magazine in this form of the invention is shown at 55 and is closed with the exception of an outlet opening 51 in its bottom wall normally disaligned with the bore of the feed tube, but which is adapted at times to register with such bore, to enable the lead 5:) when released by the gripper 52 either to return to the magazine through the opening 5'I when the pencil is inverted, or lead to fall by gravity from the magazine through the opening 51 into the feed tube 48. The magazine 56 is suspended normally in the position shown in Fig. 8 by a leafsprng 58, and such spring is engaged by a push-rod 59 slidably mounted in a detachable plug 6U screwthreaded in the barrel,.such push rod being of the same construction as that described at 56. Spring '58 normally holds the magazine 5B in the position shown, and alignment of the opening 51 with the bore of feed tube 48 is eiected by pushing the rod 59 inwardly.

Spring 58 is attached to any suitable part, but preferably is carried by a head or plug BI detachably screw-threaded at 62 into the upper end of the barrel 45, which further is preferably equipped with a rubber or other eraser 63.

Magazine 56 may be rectangular in cross-section as in Fig. 4 or may have the cross-sectional shapes of Figs. 11 and l2 since this form of the invention While it may be a magazine accommodating any desired number of leads .is well adapted for use with two leads of different colors, as in the first form described, and which leads may selectively be positioned in the vfeed tube 48 as described with respect to the first form.

Referring now to Figs. 13` and 14, another modified form is shown. This form employs except as slightly modified when Aso described, a barrel 45, feed tube 48, leads 50, enlargement 52|, gripper 52, screw-threads 49, push rod 53, and detachable vend section 46 as described in the next preceding form. Accordingly the same reference characters have been applied.

In this form, feed tube 48 carrie`s a head 64 having 'a central flared bore t5 to guide 'the leads 50 into the at tube 48. Preferaby'two leads are employed, although any desired number may be used, each lead being retained within a holder 66 open at the lower end and normally held disal'igned with the opening G5 by means of spring brackets '56 .fastened thereto as at `6`| and depending from a head B8 removably .secured to the upper end of barrel 45 which, in this instance, have exterior screw-threads b9 engaged iby 'the screw-'threads of a cap 1|), the head and ca'p having overlapping flanges as shown and the cap preferably carrying a rubber or eraser 1|. The tubes 6B are adapted to be swung inwardly selectively to align their lower open ends with the opening 65 to receive or discharge a lead, according to whether or not the pencil is in normal position or inverted. The displacement and alignment of the holders 66 is effected by sliding push rods 12 inwardly, such push-rods being of the same construction as those described at 26 and 59 and being mounted by detachable screw or other plugs 13.

In the final form of the invention disclosed in Figs. and 16, the structure and operation is similar to that of the next preceding form, with the exception of the holding and feeding of the leads, corresponding reference characters accordingly having been applied to corresponding parts. The barrel equivalent to 45 is here designated 14, and at the upper end is closed by a detachable plug 'I5 screw-threaded or otherwise secured at 1B to the barrel and preferably carrying a lead or earser 11. Depending centrally from the plug 15 is a stop 18 of any desired length and preferably generally of ovoid form at the lower end and equipped with any desired number of longitudinally extending grooves 19, two for instance as shown. In such grooves, the lower ends of the leads 50 are retained under the pressure of spring lingers 8U which are secured at 8| to the exterior of the barrel 14, then extended inwardly through the slots 82 in the barrel and returning to the exterior and terminating in manually engageable fingers 83. It will be understood that the desired nger 83 may be engaged and pulled outwardly in order to release any desired lead 50, and that by tilting the pencil, the lead will register with the opening 65 and slide by gravity into the feed tube 48, it being advisable as in all other forms, to release the grip on the lead in the feed tube 48, and when the pencil is inverted, enabling the lead to slide back into or return into the upper end of the barrel to the desired slot or groove 19 and be held therein by the fingers or clasps 80.

It will be clear that in all of the forms as described with respect to the rst one that the various parts aside from the leads or markers may be made of metal, plastic, transparent or otherwise, or a combination thereof. It will also be clear that in all of the forms the grippers may be secured to any accessible adjacent part and that they are preferably engageable with the lead at a plurality of points and thosek of the general construction shown in Fig. 7.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and 4Scope of` the invention.

What is claimed is:

,1. A pencil having 'a barrel, a feed tube therein for a lead,4 a gripper constantly engaging and normally retaining the lead in said tube, a second gripper for the lead, a dcpressible plunger means surrounded by the barrel and exposed at the top of the barrel operable in the bore of the barrel to impart feed strokes to the second gripper notwithstanding engagement of the' lead as aforee said by the first gripper, said grippers lconstitliiting the sole means affecting free sliding -of Ylead into or out of the pencil through said tube, and mechanism operable upon further depression of the plunger means to selectively release either the first-mentioned gripper or both of said grippers.

2. A pencil having a barrel, a feed tube screwthreaded to the writing barrel at said end and extending interiorly thereof, a head interposed between the top of the feed tube and the inner Wall of the barrel, an enlargement on said tube between said head and screw-threads, said tube having a slot between said screw-threads and said enlargement, and a lead-gripping member carried by said enlargement and extending into the tube through said slot.

3. A pencil according to claim 2 having means extending between said tube, enlargement and gripping member and movable against the latter to move it to lead-releasing position.

4. A pencil having a barrel, a feed tube for a lead secured in the barrel against sliding movement, a gripper constantly engaging and normally retaining the lead in said tube, a second gripper for the lead disposed above the flrst gripper, means operable to impart feed strokes to the second gripper notwithstanding engagement of the lead as aforesaid by the first gripper, said grippers constituting the sole means affecting free sliding of lead into and out of the pencil through said tube, and means operable to release both of said grippers through and after predetermined movement of the second gripper.

5. A pencil having a barrel, a lead feed tube secured to the barrel against relative sliding movement, a plunger within the barrel slidably mounted on the feed tube, means biasing the plunger away from the writing end of the pencil, said feed tube having first and second slots, gripper means extending through the rst slot positioned to constantly engage a lead therein, gripper means movable with the plunger extending through the second slot and engageable with a lead in the tube to feed such lead notwithstanding engagement as aforesaid by the first gripper means.

6. A pencil having a barrel, a lead feed tube secured to the barrel against relative sliding movement, a plunger within the barrel slidably mounted on the feed tube, means biasing the plunger away from the writing end of the pencil, said feed tube having rst and second slots, gripper means extending through the first slot positioned to constantly engage a lead therein, gripper means movable with the plunger extending through the second slot and engageable with a lead in the tube to feed such lead notwithstanding engagement as aforesaid by the first gripper means, the second-mentioned gripper means having a predetermined movement relatively to and independently of the second gripper means.

7. A pencil having a barrel, a lead feed tube secured to the barrel against relative sliding movement, a plunger within the barrel slidably mounted on the feed tube, means biasing the plunger away from the Writing end of the pencil, said feed tube having rst and second slots, gripper means extending through the irst'slot positioned to constantly engage a lead therein, gripper means movable with theplunger extending through the second slot and engageable with a lead in the tube to feed such lead notwithstanding engagement as aforesaid by the first gripper means, the second-mentioned gripper means having a predetermined movement relatively to and independently of the second gripper means, means to release the second-mentioned gripper means after predetermined movement, and means to thereafter release the rst-mentioned gripper means.

8. A pencil having a barrel, a lead feed tube therein secured 'to an end of the barrel, an enlargement on the feed tube, said tube having a slot located between said enlargement and said end, a lead-gripping member carried by said enlargement and extending into the tube through said slot, and a movable element terminally located between said enlargement, tube and gripping member operable from the exterior of the pencil to disengage the gripping member from the lead.

JOHN T. BRUBAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 267,643 Bowman Nov. 14, 1882 277,138 Knight May 8, 1883 1,584,050 Vail May 11, 1926 1,700,255 Feldman Jan. 29, 1929 1,846,604 Maloney Feb. 28, 1932 2,028,855 Winter Jan. 28, 1936 

